Kerala Congress leaders against fielding Tharoor in LS elections

Congress leaders in his home state Kerala have made public their reservations against fielding Shashi Tharoor for the elections.

On Sunday, senior Congress leader and convener of the United Democratic Front P P Thankachan said Tharoor would not be made a candidate if he is facing any case in connection with the death of Sunanda Pushkar.

Former party legislator George Mercier echoed Thankachan, saying Tharoor has to “prove his innocence”. “He should have been more vigilant not to get into controversies. The party does not face any dearth of suitable candidates in Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat. It was up to the party high command to decide on Tharoor’s candidature,” said Mercier.

The Union Minister of State for Human Resources had bagged the Thiruvananthapuram constituency in 2009 overriding opposition from the state unit of the party. While his candidature was announced, a section of Congress leaders had registered their protest by burning his effigy against the party high command decision.

Meanwhile, reacting to the debate on Tharoor’s candidature, Congress MP K Sudharan said those who were eyeing the Lok Sabha seat were behind the controversy.